Find out how popular the last name Peavy is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Peavy.

Peavy, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Peavy surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Peavy in America

Peavy is the 6726th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Peavy surname appeared 5,016 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Peavy.

We can also compare 2010 data for Peavy to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Peavy

The surname Peavy has its origins in England, dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "peavie," which referred to a type of pole or stick used by lumberjacks and farmers for moving heavy objects.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Peavy can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where it appears as "Peavie." This suggests that the name was initially used as an occupational surname for those who worked with peavies or were involved in the lumber or farming industries.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various medieval records, such as the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, where it was spelled as "Pevy." This variation in spelling was common during that time period due to inconsistencies in record-keeping and the lack of standardized spelling conventions.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Peavy surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, and Somerset in the south-west of England. Notable individuals with this surname from that era include Thomas Peavy (born c. 1550), a landowner in Gloucestershire, and John Peavy (c. 1610-1678), a merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol.

As the British Empire expanded, some Peavys emigrated to various colonies, including North America. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in the New World was William Peavy, who settled in Virginia in 1635.

In the 18th century, the Peavy surname was also found in Scotland, with records showing a John Peavy (1712-1785) from Aberdeenshire, who worked as a blacksmith.

Throughout history, the Peavy name has been associated with various professions, including agriculture, forestry, and metalworking, reflecting its occupational origins. Other notable individuals with this surname include Sir Edmund Peavy (1856-1932), a British diplomat and author, and Edna Ferber Peavy (1888-1968), an American novelist and playwright best known for her novel "Show Boat."

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Peavy

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Peavy.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Peavy was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Peavy has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Peavy was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Peavy, please contact us.

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